Type: Press

AGREES TO INITIATE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN ON PLIGHT OF PALESTINIAN CHILDREN IN ISRAELI CUSTODY  At its meeting on Saturday 25 March the Central Council of the Labour Party approved the following motion unanimously for debate at our National Conference in April in Wexford. That conference recognising the rights of Palestinians to self-determination and statehood, calls on the PLP…

“As the Minister for Justice has said, the revelations about Garda breathalysing statistics and the wrongful summoning and conviction of 14,700 people are ‘appalling’ and ‘staggering’. “Those words should mean something, and have consequences. “The statement yesterday from the Garda Commissioner told us what she is doing now, but failed to adequately explain why it…

The Central Council of the Labour Party has today unanimously passed a motion in support of Bus Éireann workers. The motion reads: The Labour Party stands in solidarity with Bus Éireann workers, and calls for the Government to immediately take four actions to resolve the dispute that is currently underway. Firstly, a Sectoral Employment Order…

Labour spokesperson on Climate Change, Seán Sherlock TD, has encouraged people around Ireland to take a moment mark Earth Hour tonight, which is being observed around the world from 8.30pm. Deputy Sherlock commented: “This weekend, Irish people can highlight their concerns about the impact of climate change through minimal effort, just by turning off non-essential…

Labour Party Spokesperson on Transport, Brendan Ryan TD, has called for an independent third party to mediate between unions and management in the Bus Éireann dispute. Deputy Ryan said: “With staff in Bus Éireann now on an all-out strike, it’s time for a third party, independent mediator to intervene to ensure the company’s future is…

Labour spokesperson on Dublin, Senator Kevin Humphreys has called on the Government to invest in cycling infrastructure following the tragic death of a cyclist on Dublin’s roads this morning. “My thoughts today are with the family of the cyclist who died following being knocked off his bike in Dublin City Centre this morning. “In order…

“Today we have seen that more than 14,500 traffic convictions are to be quashed, and almost a million breath tests were falsely logged by Gardaí. “What has been revealed today raises fundamental concerns about the accuracy of Garda statistics and reporting, and strikes at the core of public confidence in an Garda Síochána, and especially…

Following a parliamentary question placed by Brendan Ryan, the Minister for Transport informed him that preparatory works are taking place on a route alignment and station locations for Metro North. Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the National Transport Authority expect this work to last throughout 2017 after which a public consultation process will get under way…

Labour Cork East TD Seán Sherlock has demanded that the Ministers for Health in Fine Gael and the Independent Alliance take immediate action to ensure that every woman in the State is given access to foetal anomaly scans. Deputy Sherlock’s amendment to the Health (Amendment) Bill 2017 would have seen every pregnant woman in the…

On behalf of the Labour Senators, Senator Ivana Bacik will today propose the Pensions (Equal Pension Treatment in Occupational Benefit Schemes) (Amendment) Bill 2016 in the Seanad at 4pm during private members’ time. The Bill will be seconded by Senators Ged Nash and Kevin Humphreys. This Bill is an important equality measure – dealing with…

Labour spokesperson on Health, Alan Kelly has expressed his frustration at the Government’s lack of action on extending free GP care for all. “Today at the Future of Healthcare Committee, it was extremely frustrating to hear the Minister indicate that plans to expand free GP care to all citizens could be delayed by up to…

Tonight in the Dáil, Labour Party spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, Jan O’Sullivan, has moved an amendment to the Sinn Féin Private Members’ motion to establish a Truth Commission in relation to Mother and Baby Homes “It is widely accepted now that the terms of reference of the Commission of Inquiry into Mother and Baby…

Labour Party Leader, Brendan Howlin has called on the Government to publish a substantial plan for Brexit before the special EU Council meeting on Brexit on April 29th. “Last week, we saw the Government publish their Brexit priorities paper. The document itself was 24 pages in length, 17 of which were mostly blank or contained…

Labour Youth has today welcomed the announcement of the deal that was secured with the new Clerys owner that will benefit the former workers, describing it as “a win for workers’ rights and the trade union movement”. Speaking on the matter Kevin Donoghue, National Chairperson of Labour Youth commented: “I would like to commend SIPTU…

The dramatic adjournment of the Bord Pleanala oral hearing of the planning application for the redevelopment of the Clerys Building on  O’Connell St. and the subsequent withdrawal by SIPTU of its appeal against the application yesterday indicated that significant progress had been made towards an agreement between the two parties.  This morning at a press…

Speaking ahead of today’s seminar on homelessness in the European Parliament, Labour Housing spokesperson, Jan O’Sullivan TD commented: “While it might be out of the headlines at the moment, Ireland’s homelessness crisis has not gone away- quite the opposite, with the most recent figures showing more than 7,000 people were homeless in January, including around…

Labour Party spokesperson on Labour Affairs and Workers’ Rights, Senator Ged Nash, has paid tribute to the Dublin Lord Mayor, Brendan Carr, and the SIPTU Trade Union for securing a deal with the new Clerys owner that will benefit the former workers. Senator Nash said: “I want to congratulate my colleague, Labour Party Councillor and…

Labour Leader and spokesperson on Northern Ireland, Brendan Howlin has expressed his sympathy at the passing of Martin McGuinness. “I am saddened to hear of the death of Martin McGuinness. “My thoughts are firstly with his wife Bernie, his family and his colleagues in Sinn Féin. “The role Martin played in bringing peace and reconciliation…

The following oral submission was made by Joe Costello, Labour Party Spokesperson on Urban Renewal to the An Bord Pleanála hearing on Clerys Planing appeal (3442/16). In my observations to Dublin City Council Planning Department on the Clerys application I referred to two concerns: Overdevelopment of Clery’s Building The vision of the scheme of Special…

Labour spokesperson on Health, Alan Kelly TD, has slammed the Government for its failure to address the lengthy waiting times for children in need of scoliosis surgery. A report from the Children’s Ombudsman has found that some children are waiting up to 18 months for the procedure, more than four times the recommended period. Commenting…

Labour spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has called the €4 million capital funding in childcare by Minister Katherine Zappone inadequate. “The capital funding in childcare by Minister Zappone is wholly inadequate to address the many problems facing the childcare sector. “Our State has never invested enough in young children and their…

Speaking at the Third International Conference for Child Detainees in Ramallah, Palestine on the 15th March, 2017, Joe Costello, former Minister for Trade and Development, accused the Israeli Government of flagrant breach of international human rights law and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. “No other country in the world deals systemically with…

Tonight, in the iconic Riverside Church in New York City, Labour Party Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, is hosting Irish Stand. This event will be an evening of multi-cultural prose, speech, song, and wit, and is intended to serve as a call for inclusivity, diversity, and human rights for our global citizenry.   Speaking ahead of the…

“The St. Patrick’s Day celebrations around the world are celebrations of the success of emigration. Around St. Patrick’s Day, we recall people leaving a land – sometimes of hunger, sometimes of oppression – to find a better future. “When Enda Kenny accepted an invitation to visit President Trump in the White House, I was concerned….